for the first time in a week yesterday, aides to the president and house speaker john boehner met but no discernible signs of progress. there seemed to be a hardening of positions on tax rates and possible reductions in spending. >>> pretty stern announcement from capitol hill, one of the senate's conservative leaders, jim demint of south carolina is quitting. he announced his resignation yesterday saying he will leach the senate january 1. demint will head a conservative think-tank now. south carolina's governor says there is no time table to announce demint's replacement. >> a lot of people are questioning this why he will take over the heritage foundation. his salary in the senate is $174,000. he is replacing a guy who, the head of the, the heritage foundation was making roughly $1 million a year. get, got a little bit of an increase. in salary. >> all of these politicians, go on to a lobbying, think-tank, consultant work, all that kind of stuff, they leave for big bucks there. he's considered one of the grandfathers of the tea party movement. a powerful gift. at odd with party lea